Flushing valve



July Z6, 1932. R. A. BRooKs 1,868,520

FLUSHING. VALVE Filed Sept. l, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CUR ne@ l #6 July26, 1932. R. A BROOKS FLUSHING VALVE Filed Sept. l. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ROBERT A. BROOKS, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FLUSHING VALVE Application tiled September 1,' 1927. Serial No. 216,792.

My invention relates tofiushing valves of a type in which themain valve is rigidly connected to a plungeror piston which is open on one side to inlet pressure, and on l y5 the opposite side within a closed piston chamber isv also openthrough a leak passage to inlet pressure, an auxiliary valve being provided to relieve lpressure in the piston chamber and permit dischargek of water there- 10 in to the outletpassage of the device, whereby operat-ion of the auxiliary valve by suitable manipulating means will bring about an opening movement ofthe main valve, followed by aslow closing of such valve under 15 the controlof the leak passage. In valves of this type connected to a water supply system under high pressure it has been usually necessary to install a stop or controlling valvelv tocontrol the volume of' water dis- 20 charged into the fixture," and whether a stop valve be used or not the excessive pressure tends to cause whistling and various other objectionable noises. It is the object of my invention to produce a valve which, by means 215 of muiiiing or baiing members in connection with a stop device for determining the limit of opening movement of the valve permitted, can be adjusted for use with a water supply of either high or low pressure; which will 3.0 have-an extended opening and closing movement, andl which will bring about a uniform and smooth closing movement of the valve, without'the defects and objections inherent in prior valves of the type under consideration. Other objects of my invention relate to the attainment of advantages incident to the particular construction hereinafter described, and appertain to a nickel screen device especially serviceable for use with a water supply containing suspended particles or mineral matter liable to deposit; a rubber gasket mounting for the operating handle; the construction and arrangement of a cup member and associated yparts which constitute the regulating plunger and piston, and other novell and useful details of construction which will be apparentl from the description hereinafter given. In the appended claims I have particularly set forth the essential elements of my invention, it being understood, however, that my invention is susceptible of modification and variation, and that the elements recited are intended to include all equivalents and variations in form which come within t-he true scope and spirit of my invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical central section of my improved valve, with the movable parts in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar section with the main valve open and in uppermost position, the handle being shown in normal lowermost position, to which it will be understood it immediately returns after an operating movement;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the movable parts ofthe valve, detached, several of the parts being diametrically sectioned and other parts shown in full;

Fig. 4 is also a perspective view showing the casing in diametrical section and the operating lever in full; Y

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing a diametrical section of a leather washer member;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6-6 of Fig. l, showing the iexible mounting of the operating lever Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of said Fig. 1, showing the construction of parts for guiding the operating lever in its movements, and

Fig. 8 is a diametrical cross-section of a regulating screw used for adjusting the size of a b'y-pass opening through the retarding piston, detached from other parts.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in all figures of the drawings.

Describing now in detail the construction illustrated, the valve body or casing member is formed with an inlet connection 2, internally screw threaded for connection to the service pipe section 6, and a threaded outlet connection 3 for connection to the device to be flushed'by the valve, and also with a lever boss 5 arranged to receive and support the opf` thereabove, and a flat washer 26, the inner margin of the valve body being slightly chamfered to receive the downwardly turned flange of the leather washer. It may here be lexplained that the cap 27 is chambered to receive and house a cup-shaped retarding piston orplunger member 16 ywhich will later be more fully described. andthe skirt orside ace of which is engaged by the depending portion vof the leather washer; and that the latter may consist of an ordinary liat washerv formed with a central opening slightly smaller than the diameter of the cup, so that' in assembling the parts the washer canmbe stretched over and around the body or" the pis` `in Fig; 1. The closed cylindrical or substan tially cylindrical space in the body member vand cap abovev the retarding piston constitutes av retardingchamber controllingthe closing movement of the piston "and a conj p v.

' end with a suitable handle, is liexibly fulnected main valve.

Between the inlet and'outlet passages of the valve the .valve body isformed with a partition 1a provided with a main valve seat 11-in alignment with the retarding chamberfthereabove in the upper part 'of the valve body and cap member. Above lthe valve seatr 11 is arfranged the main valve comprising a disk' tlsecuredfto a threaded stem 42 and equipped with a leather Washer 12 which'is clamped against the lower face'ofthe disk by aguide member 19 also making screw-threaded engagementl with said stem. AAs vshownv inthe drawings, thev valve disk 41 is formedwith depending ballingmembers inthe form 'of annular ribs lllaf'llla, and the partition 1a with upwardly extending similar ,bailing members or ribs consisting of the valve seat member l1 anda rib 11a surrounding it,zwhioh intermesh when the valve is in lower position throughoutan extended portionV of the opening and closing movement of the valve, and

which-in uppermost-position are separated to J permit a direct flow offwater passing between the separated edges of .the ribs from the inlet to the outlet p assage of the valve.

. Above said valve disk andrigidly connect# edjthereto by said stem l2 is the cup-shaped piston or plunger member 16 abovementioned.

This pistonv is formed with a depending narrow peripheral flange enclosing a shallow screen chamber between the val-ve disk and plunger member, within which is arranged an annular nickel wire screen 14 whichV in the present instance isA cupped or .dished and which provides a lar-gescreen area for water passing through vlby-pass openings 13vin the main valve disk andthrough said-screen into and through an adjustable restricted passage@ Theupper end of the stem 42 of the'connected. main valve and plunger is formed to serve as valve seatV for anl auxiliary starting valve 20 carried by the upper end of an auxiliary valve stem 22 which carries at'its lower end a lift kplate 23. Y

VAbove and in axial alignment with the auX- iliary valvestem and valve is arranged a stop screw ,29,s'eatedin arboss 28 formed on the under Yside ofthe cap member 27; By adjustment of this screw the Capacity ofthepassage permitting direct ,free flow` of waterpast the separated edges of thebaftling ribs itl-tand 11 and 111 when the mainvalve is ful-ly open, and before and after the ,bailing members leave and re-enter baffling relation during the movement of thevalve, may be regulated.

The operating lever 8, providedat its outer crumed in a thick heavy rubber washer 9 seated ina recessrin the lever boss 5, this washerbeing compressed and .firmly held in its seat-by a jam washer Sahaving a lug 81?' on its outer rimto engage a slot inthe lever boss to keepfthe washer from4 turning, and by a lock `nut 7 The jam washer is formed with aslot having opposed'ilat faeesar-ranged to slidingly receive a section of the lever which is formed with flat sides, s'o that thelever is prevented from turning and is guided and limited to ajvertical oscillating movement. A portion of the operating lever 8 fwhich passes through the rubber washer 9v is formed with an inclined slightlyhollowed orr conycaved annular face, marked' 10?, i'nto Which Yunderliesboth the lift plate 23 of the startingfvalve stem; and the guide. member 19 forming partv of the main valve structure, so that irst the start-ing valve, and under cerjtain conditions 'afterward the main valve willbe positively lifted from their seats by manip ulating the operating handle.

It will be understood that theV operating handle is operated to first openf the starting valve, relieving the pressure-on the upper side of the piston, and that the preponderance in pressure on the lower side Vofthe connected partsvwill immediately cause the main valve to leave itsseat-and follow the starting valve upwardly. As the starting valve is further manually lifted thereY will: be, at'maXimum and a' certain range of lower pressures determined by th'e proportions of the parts, sui

' side of the piston and main valve to cause them to more or less closely follow the start- `lng valve until it brings up against the stop screw 29 and the valve seat at the top of the stem 42 immediately afterward brings up against the starting valve to close passage of water through the valve opening. After the starting valve opening is thus closed, the vlimited ow of water through the by-pass ports,

screen and restricted passageway in the main valve structure to the cup-shaped space in the plunger thereabove will build up pressure on the top side of the main valve until it preponderates above that on the side below (which adjacent the center is directly open to the outlet of the valve) and such valve will gradually fall, at a closing speeddetermined by the adjustment of the restricted passageway into the retarding chamber. f f If the pressure be low, it may occur that the pressure tending to lift the piston and main valve will be balanced by the gravity of the parts before the main valve is lifted by water pressure to a position where the starting valve will be closed, in which case the main valve will be positively lifted by the operating handle to a greater or less extent, and upon release of the operating handle the starting valve will drop to its seat, the pressure then beginning to build up in the retarding chamber and controlling the closing of the main valve, as before described.

If the service pressure be high, the stop ,i screw 29 is adjusted so that the lower edges of the baffling ribs of the main valve in its extreme uppermost or open position against the starting valve when the latter is in contact with the stop screw 29 will stand in a plane a Yrelatively slight distance above the plane of the top edges of the ribs on the partition 1f:l in the valve body, or, in the case of extremely high pressure, it maybe at or even a trifle below such last mentioned plane. If the service pressure be low, on the other hand, the

stop screw is set at a higher level, so that a larger direct passage for the flow of water will result.

In any case, the bafliing members are y'of such extent and so arranged that a direct iushing flow of water through the main valve will not be established until the main valve and piston have traveled a substantial distance and a considerable amount of water has been displaced from the retarding chamber.

'when operating at high pressure is necessarily slight, with consequent displacement of only a slight volume-of water from the retarding chamber, necessitating a minute leak opening to govern the closing movement of the valve. From this objectionable construction it results that the very small leak passage often becomes clogged up, either by small solid particles in the water, or the precipitation of matter held in solution. A further objection is that even a small foreign particle of matter lodging under the stop valve will permit the passage of a larger volume of Water through it than the small by-pass opening will admit into the retarding chamber, and the building up of pressure to close the main valve and seat the main and starting valves firmly is entirely prevented. By my invention a larger by-pass opening is attained, and by the provision of a screen chamber and screen of large size, through which the water must pass slowly, the defects in question are practically overcome. A

By adjustment of the stop screw 29 it is obvious that the lift given the main valve and consequently the size of the direct passage from the inlet passage to the main valve opening may be so regulated with respect to pressure in the service pipe that when the operating lever is actuated to open the valve water will flow through it under the particular adj ustment at the proper rate and in the proper volume to flush the fixture to which it is connected.

By adjustment of the regulating screw 1S the rate of closing speed of the piston and main valve may be regulated. By proper adjustment, therefore, of the stop screw and regulating screw, both the total quantity of water discharged at a flushing operation and the rate of discharge can be regulated,within limits determined by the proportions of the parts and the service pressure of the supply system. Y

Inasmuch as the baffling members'variably occupy intermeshed baffling relation throughout an extended portion of the opening and closing movement of the mainvalve, it is obvious that even under an adjustment of the stop 29 for extremely high pressure, permitting a minimum opening and closing movement only, displacement of a substantial volume of water will nevertheless occur inthe retarding chamber, and this large displacement, involving, the use of a by-pass opening which is relatively large and free from liability to obstruction, as compared with ordinary practice, results in a smooth, regular and perfect functioning of the valve under high pressure adjustment without the usual defects and disadvantages of valves not so constructed. On the other hand, regulation for extremely low pressure may be made by adjusting the stop 29 to permit more or less of a direct and free flow of Water above this baffling range of movement, and this without'providing for an undue or excessive total-length of valve movement NneceSSrElljv to cover both extremely highV pres.- snregand-Vextreinel'ylow press-urea Since the operatingl lever is eiective to .positively lift boththe starting v alve and the connected pis.- iton andmain valve, my improvedvalve may be usedwith much lower water pressure than is possible with valves depending on differential; pressurealone to operate-the piston andiopenthe main'valve. Y The atterflow or refillA in my improved flushing vvalve taires place as the baiiiing members enter into intermeshed, baliling relation7 after the direct i-ushingflow has ceased', and' is prolonged and diminishes gradually. inasmuch as the Abaliling eiiect increases as Lthe main valve approaches its Vseat, the valve'wirl seat gently, without any of th-e.objectionablenoises common to other valves.'A 1 Y I claim: f l

1. 'In a flushing valve of the character -described, a. casing formed with inlet and outlet passages anda partition between having aV main valve Yseat and a retarding chamber in axial alignment therewith,l a piston in said chamber anda main valve contiguous to said piston cooperating with saidl seat and a screw-threaded axial stem arranged to clamp saidfpistonand valve together, said-valve and piston being formed to provide an annular space therebetween forming a screen chamfber, an annular screen forming a partition in Asaid chamber said valve and piston v.being severally orificed on opposite sidesof said screen to .per-mit free communication through said valve and restricted i communication through said piston, and means for relieving pressurein saidretarding chamber.

2, A lushing valvestructure according .to claimA 12 in which said screen is an annular member arcuate in radial section. y f 3. YA iiushing Vvalve structure according t claim y1y in which said screen is a nickel wire member. Y

4. Ina flushing-valve having acasing and a valve and elements, therein arrangedi'or manual operation, operating means 'including a lever having a'portion inside said cas*- ing arranged to cooperatefwith saidvalve elements, a handle outside said casing, anda heavy rubberY gasket fixed in said' casing engaging said' lever andy constitutinga flexible tulcrum therefor. I

5. Operating means` for ilushing valves according to claim/i in which said rubber gasket is seated ina-'lever boss and conined by a jam washerand a lock nut, said washer being vformed with a slot having opposite faces providinga guide for saidlever.4v

(i. Operating .means y'for flushing valves according to claim t in which the portion of the operatinglever contiguous to said rubber gasket is formedlwith an annular concaved face,`and having ymeans for compressing the gasketinto said concaved face.. f-

`7. A flushing valve structure including` a casing 'formed with inlet and outlet passages and a partition therebetween having a main valve-seat and a cylindrical retarding cham- 'ber in axial'alignment with said seat, a. connectedv main valve and piston vrcomprisfng'a main valve member and a cup-shapedretarding piston and a hollow stem connecting said valve and piston andja guide member secured to said stem below saidvalve, the upper `end of said stem being formed as an auxiliary startingfvalve seat and saidpartition and said main. valve being provided with baffling members arranged to variably occupy intermeshed battling-.relation throughout an eX- tended portion otvtheopening and closing movement of the main valvet-o permit substantially unobstructed tlow ot water when said valve is in fully open position, an auX- iliary starting valve having a" depending stem, and aV manuallyk operableV leverl arranged to cooperate both withsaid depending stem andsaid guide member.

8. Ariiushing'valve structure including a casing formed with inlet and outlet passages and a par-tit* on therebetween having av main valve seat and a cylindrical retarding chamber in axial alignment with said seat, a connected main valve and piston comprising a main valve member and a ycup-shaped retardingpiston and ahollow stem connecting'said valve and pistonand a guide member secured to said stem below said valve, the upper .end of'said stem being formed as an auxiliary starting valve seatand said partition and said mainvalve being provided with battling members arranged to intermesh as 'the valve leavesandapproaches closed position 4to permit substantially unobstructed llow otwater whenthe valve'is in fully open position, an adjustable stop arranged to limit the opening movement permitted said main' valve, an auxiliary starting Av alve having a depending stem, and a manually operable lever arranged to cooperate bothA with said depending stem and said guide member@ 9. A flushing valve Astructure including a casing formed withinlct and outletpassages and a partitionl therebetween; a main valve seat anda retarding chamber in a/Xial alignvment therewith, a piston in said chamber and a main valve secured to said piston, said retarding' chamber being in communication with said inlet passage through an .adjust-able by-pass opening, and said connected main valve and piston memberv being formed'with a starting valve seat and a communicating passagethrough said valve and piston member',V a manually operable starting valve arranged tocoop'erate with said startingvalve sea,t, battling means 'including members se'- cured severally to-said valve andsaid casing and arranged transversely to the line oi flow of water passing through the casing, said members in extreme open position permitting substantially direct unobstructed tlow ot water and Vbeing arranged to occupy bathing position throughout an extended portion ot the opening and closing movement of the main valve whereby displacement ot a substantial volume ot water in the retarding chamber will occur at low pressure under large by-pass adjustment during the traverse of said main valve through bathing position, and an adjustable stop in the path ot movement ot' said starting valve; substantially as and tor the purpose described.

10. A flushing valve structure including a casing formed with inlet and outlet passages and a partition therebetween, a main valve seat and a retarding chamber in axial alignment therewith, a piston in said chamber and a main valve secured to said piston, said retarding chamber being in communication with said inlet passage through an adjustable by-pass opening, and said connected main valve and piston member being formed with an axial passage therethrough and a starting valve seat at the top ot said passage, a starting valve cooperating with said starting valve seat and having a depending stem extending through said axial passage, an operating lever tor actuating said starting valve stem, bathing means including members secured severally to said valve andl said casing and arranged transversely to the line of how of water passing through the casing, said members in extreme open position permitting substantially direct unobstructed tlow of water and being arranged to occupy bathing position throughout an extended portion of the opening and closing movement of the main valve, whereby displacement of a substantial volume ot water in the retarding chamber will occur at low pressure under large by-pass adjustment during the tra-verse of said main valve through bathing position, and an adjustable stop in the path ot movement ot said starting valve; substantially as and tor the purpose described.

11. A hushing valve structure including a casing formed with inlet and outlet passages and a partition therebetween, a main valve seat and a retarding chamber in axial alignment therewith, a piston in said chamber and a main valve secured to said piston, said retarding chamber being in communication kwith said inlet passage through an adjustable by-pass opening, and said connected main valve and piston member being formed with an axial passage therethrough and a starting valve seat at the top ot said passage, a starting valve cooperating with said starting valve seat and having a depending stem extending through said axial passage, bathing means including members secured severally to said valve and said casing and arranged transversely to the line of how of Water passing through'the casing, said members in extreme open position permitting substantially direct unobstructed how ot water and being arranged to occupy bathing position throughout an extended portion ot the opening and closing movement ot the main valve whereby displacement ot a substantial volume ot water inthe retarding chamber will occur at low pressure under large by-pass adjustment during the traverse otl said main valve through baming position, an operating lever arranged to positively open said starting valve and said main valve in succession, and an adjustable stop in the path ot movement of said starting valve; substantially as and for the purpose described.

l2. A flushing valve structure including a casing termed with inlet and outlet passages and a partition there-between, amain valve seat and a retarding chamber in axial alignment therewith, a piston in said chamber and a main valve secured to said piston, said retarding chamber being in communication with said inlet passage through a restricted opening, means tor relieving pressure in said retarding chamber, bathing means including members secured severally to said valve and said casing and arranged transversely to the line ot how ot water entering the casing, said members in extreme open position permitting substantially direct unobstructed tlow ot water and being arranged to occupy bathing position throughout an extended portion of the opening and closing movement ot the main valve, whereby displacement ot a substantial volume of water in th-e retarding chamber will occur at low pressure under large by-pass adjustment during the traverse of said main valve through battling position and adjustable stop means for limiting the opening movement permitted said main valve; substantially as and tor the purpose described.

13. A hushing valve structure including a casing formed with inlet and outlet passages vand a partition there-between, a main valve seat and a cylindrical retarding chamber in axial alignment therewith, a piston in said chamber and a main valve secured to said piston, said retarding chamber being in communication with said inlet passage through a restricted opening, means tor relieving pressure in said retarding chamber, and bathing means including bathing members consisting ot concentric ribs on the inlet side ot said i surefunder largeby-pass adjustment-during Y Y the traverse of sai-d lmain valve through baffling position, said baiing membersperf mittingdireet flow of Water past'their separatededges when the main. valve is in open position, and adjustable stop meansrfor lim iting. the opening movement vpermitted -said mai-n valve; substantially 'as and. for the v purpose described. Y Y Y v In-cestimony whereof I have. subscribed ROBERT A.. BROOKS.

vso 

